This invention is directed to leisure beach items, more particularly to a rolling cart, having large wheels to ensure a large footprint, for transporting, over sand, a variety of items, such as a cooler, umbrella, towels, etc.
The present invention relates to a rolling cart, having large wheels with a broad footprint, with a floating tray for receiving and transporting various beach items to the beach. The large footprint allows for easy and convenient movement of such items to the desired location on the beach.
A day at the beach, especially when one has to escort and guide young children, can be a daunting task, having to carry a variety of items, ranging from a cooler, blankets, towels, umbrellas, toys, etc., while keeping a watchful eye on the children, can even make parents think twice before agreeing to a day at the beach. Any accessory that makes this task easier is a welcome item to a family seeking to enjoy a day of sand, sun and water. However, even items that have to be carried can be a burden to the user. Unfortunately, most such beach accessories have to be carried. The following prior art describe and illustrate a number of beach accessories to help the user, but none offer the full convenience of being able to be readily transported, even weighty items, such as coolers, along with other traditional beach items. The following U.S. Patents are exemplary of the offerings by the prior art:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,925, to Weldon, relates to a cart intended to provide an easy means to transport items held on the cart platform to a sandy beach location. The device is provided with a contoured back and foldable seat so that it can serve as a beach chair once at the beach. In addition, retaining rings provide for the secure carrying of a beach umbrella. The carrying platform is supported at both ends when not being moved and is further supported by straps during transit. A pressurized sprayer mounted on the side of the cart back allows fresh water to be easily transported to the beach, warmed, and used to remove salt water and sand both from people and accessories.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,777, to Simmons et al., teaches a chaise lounge and tote cart apparatus formed of a fabric covered base frame having first and second fabric covered extension frames hinged to each end of the base frame. Four foldable wheel assemblies are attached to the base frame so that the wheel assemblies can be moved from an extended position to a forward position and each of the extension frames can be folded over onto the base frame to make a compact chaise lounge and tote cart combination. The wheel assembly can be unfolded to extend the wheels and the first and second extension frames can be opened up to a generally parallel vertical position. A locking bar can be removably connected therebetween to hold the first and second extension frames upright and parallel so that items can be carried on the wheel base and can be laid across the tops of the upright first and second extension frames. A hinged handle is also provided for pulling the cart and one or two fabric sides can be connected between first and second extension frames.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 5, 356,160, to Urlwin, illustrates a collapsible, wheeled, chair frame and tray assembly that includes an axle, supported in a pair of brackets, and having wheels mounted to ends thereof, also pivotably carries a utility tray thereon. The brackets are provided for bolting thereof to leg members of a chair frame, to wheel the frame. The chair frame is collapsible, and the tray can be folded-up, unobtrusively with the component parts of the chair frame, or disposed prominently therefrom for wheeled transport of supplies and/or articles. With the chair frame expanded, into its seating disposition, the tray assumes a position substantially parallel with the seat frame, and therebelow, and the wheels are elevated in non-load-bearing disposition. d.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,804, to Wilson et al., relates to a device that folds flat and compact for storage, and opens to a folding lounge chair with an adjustable angle back-rest. The device includes a backrest frame and a seat frame across which is stretched a fabric web to support an occupant. The two frames are joined at one end by an adjustable angle hinge. At a second end of the back-rest frame is a handle. At a second end of the seat frame is a pair of wheels on an axle suspended below the seat. Folding U-shape support members can be extended transverse to the frame to hold the chair above a supporting surface. The frames can be opened to lie in a common plane and the chair turned over to form a rolling cart with one or more support members extended to hold items for transporting with the wheels down, the handle up and what had been the under surface of the fabric web now serving as the upper surface to support items.
e.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,075, to Romer, is directed to a beach caddy used for transporting and storing items for recreational use at the beach. The caddy is provided with runners for drawing across sandy surfaces and detachable wheels for rolling over paved surfaces. A refillable water tank within the caddy dispenses fluids for washing, drinking, or any other use. An adjustable support is provided for retaining a beach umbrella and permitting it to be tilted in any desired direction. Detachable tables mounted on the sides of the caddy can be set up to support items transported by the caddy.
f.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,944, to Higson, teaches a beach caddy comprising a vertical frame assembly, a hinged chair rack, a hinged platform and a hinged table leg frame. The vertical frame assembly consists of an upper and a lower section connected at two vertical members, rectangular in cross section, by hinges. Each of the vertical members increases in depth at its lower end to form a storage space in conjunction with a rear and front panel and an upper and lower cross-member, the upper cross-member having circular orifices of sufficient diameter to allow protrusion therethrough of the shafts of standard beach umbrellas and standard fishing poles. To the face of the vertical members of the frame are permanently affixed table panels each located approximately adjacent to and flush with the next for use, when the vertical frame assembly is deployed in a horizontal position, as a table. An axle with a wheel on each end is attached to the front of the rear panel by two axle brackets. The chair rack is attached by hinges to the front of the lower vertical frame assembly. The platform assembly, which comprises one or more platform panels, is attached by hinges to the front of the lower vertical frame assembly. The table leg frame is attached by hinges to the rear of the lower vertical frame assembly.
While each of the foregoing patents teach some way to enhance one""s enjoyment at the beach, they all suffer a significant shortcoming in their ability to be easily moved over the surface of the sand. Specifically, each prior art device of the above patents uses small wheels, relative to the item being transported, which makes moving through loose sand a very difficult procedure, particularly when there is any weight in the device. The present invention, by the use of large wheels having a broad footprint, avoids such problems, but also adds some new features that make the system hereof unique among beach accessories. The manner by which this invention achieves the desired goals will become apparent in the description which follows, especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
This invention relates to a rolling cart for transporting items over a yielding surface, such as sand at the beach, where the rolling cart comprises a pair of large, circular and continuous ring wheels, which when rolled through the sand leave a large footprint that helps to avoid being stuck in the sand. The ring wheels feature an outer surface for contacting the sand, and an inner, continuous surface having an inwardly directed rib. Mounted between said ring wheels is a basket assembly for containing certain items to be transported. The basket comprises first and second rigid wall sections that are hinged along respective adjacent edges, such as by a piano hinge, as known in the art, where the respective sections may be collapsed together to facilitate storage of the rolling cart. The hinge further includes an axle that mounts a pair of rollers at its ends for engaging and rolling along the rib on the inner ring wheel surface. Additionally, the free ends of the two rigid wall sections also include axles, each mounting a roller that rides along a respective said rib. By this arrangement, the basket assembly remains in a generally fixed orientation even though the ring wheels are rotating as one moves the rolling cart of the invention. For convenience, a hanger element may be provided to suspend the roller cart in a collapsed mode for easy storage.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a readily transportable rolling cart, having a large footprint, that can be easily maneuvered over loose ground, such as sand.
Another object hereof is the provision of a rolling cart that is easily assembled, then collapsed into a compact unit for easy suspension and storage.
A further object of the invention lies in the use of a pair of large, spaced apart ring wheels for easy transportation, while providing a broad open area therebetween for receiving a basket assembly of items to be taken to the beach
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in the further description, especially by those skilled in the art.